How to Use Mudding to Add Textures to Plaster Walls

Remove all furnishings and accessories from the room, or place items into the center of the room. Cover all items with painter's plastic. Give yourself a minimum of a three-foot walkway between the wall and furnishings. Cover the ground surface with plastic tarps or drop cloths. Ensure the drop cloths or tarps are wrinkle free so you don't trip. Remove all outlet covers with a screwdriver, and take out all nails and screws from the walls. Store them in a safe place.

Clean the plaster walls to be textured with a cloth. Vacuum all cobwebs from the corners near the ceiling line. Wipe dust from the baseboards with a rag. Wash walls with a damp sponge.

Place painter's tape on all surfaces that you don't want to paint or plaster. Stick the tape firmly onto baseboards, window and door frames, and other areas. Rub down well with a plastic putty knife or your thumb to prevent paint leaks.

Pour a bonding primer into a paint tray. Paint on the primer in even vertical sections, without applying too much pressure. Cover all areas as close to edge of the wall as possible. Dip an angled paintbrush into the primer and paint the perimeter of the wall or areas the roller can't reach.

Open a gallon of light-weight joint compound. Use a putty knife to smear some of the plaster onto a drywall trowel. Hold the trowel in your hand and place one sharp edge against the plastic wall. Tilt the drywall trowel to about a 45-degree angle. Wipe on the plaster in circular motions to create texture. Move and manipulate the plaster to create nooks and crannies in the texture. Only cover about 85 percent of the surface. Apply the joint compound about 1/4 of an inch thick. Applying it thicker will cause the plaster to crack as it dries. Allow the plaster to dry for 24 hours.

Pour latex paint into a paint tray. Use a rough-nap roller to apply the paint to the wall. You may need to apply several coats of paint because of the thick-textured surface. Dab a chip brush or old paintbrush into the paint and onto the wall to add color to surfaces the roller can't reach. Allow to dry for 24 hours.

Apply a second coat, if necessary.